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The new year begins with four of the five naked-eye planets strung out along a crooked diagonal line measuring nearly 40 degrees above the south-southwest horizon an hour after sunset. Your clenched fist held at arm’s length measures 10 degrees, so these four planets — in this order: Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter — will … Read more
For a society constantly trying to over-extend, over-perform, and over-deliver, skipping out on sleep may be seen as the ultimate badge of productivity. It’s a lifestyle we most associate with the rich and powerful of the world, not to mention the hustle-drunk tech bros of Silicon Valley – but it’s not even a new thing. Even … Read more
When will you be able to see the planets at their best in 2022? This guide will tell you. It will also provide information about when a particular planet might be passing close to another, or a bright star, as well as the constellation that each will occupy during the course of the year. And … Read more
Christmas is almost here, and the night sky obliges by presenting a beautiful display of celestial sights, perfectly timed out to coincide with the holiday. In ancient times, Dec. 25 was the date of the lavish Roman festival of Saturnalia, a sort of bacchanalian Thanksgiving to the god of agriculture, for whom the slowest moving … Read more
What if you could bring the night sky inside? The best star projectors do just that, filling walls and ceilings with stars, constellations and more to create an immersive experience that can spark imaginations. Easy to use and simple to set up, star projectors come in many shapes and sizes and to suit a range … Read more
The winter solstice of 2021 occurs today (Dec. 21), marking the official beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and it brings good news: From tomorrow on, days will start getting longer again, taking us out of the darkness as we slowly head towards spring. The winter solstice marks the moment in Earth‘s orbit around … Read more
A Japanese billionaire and two colleagues will return to Earth from the International Space Station on Sunday (Dec. 19), and you can watch the whole thing live. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Yusaku Maezawa, along with spaceflight participant (and video producer) Yozo Hirano and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, is scheduled to touch down on the … Read more
A diagram showing the positions of Venus and Comet Leonard in the sky around 5:30 p.m. local time from New York City on Dec. 18, 2021. (Image credit: Starry Night) The discoverer of Comet Leonard has shared a few tips to help see the bright object in the night sky this month. Comet Leonard, formally … Read more
Skywatchers will be treated to a cosmic duet tonight (Dec. 17), as the brightest comet of 2021 and the brightest planet pair up for a night sky double feature. Comet Leonard, also known as Comet C/2021 A1, will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it passes near the planet Venus — sometimes referred to … Read more
It was around 9:30 P.M., hours past sunset, when a violent tornado leveled the town of Mayfield, Ky., on December 10. The exceptionally long-lasting twister was part of a rare December outbreak that raked through several Midwestern and Southern states that night. Though the storms were well forecast, and warnings were issued relatively early, at … Read more